Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-02


rTs-THE REBUILDING OF LONG BRIDGE NEcEs-
sARY.
COL T. G. Hams has submitted to the Chief OF
Engineers his annual report on the improvement
OF the POTOMAC River He states that the condi-
Ion OF the river front the time the first apprO
prlatlon was made, August 2, 1885,, had become so
PAD IN sanitary point OF view that certain parts
OF the city had become almost uninhabitable from
oeposlts on the city front OF sediment from the
river and the solid matters from the sewers which
had formed hats or Marshes covering an area Of
several hundred acres The flats were covered
oy water about half the time and uncovered the
other. In the latter condition they were exposed
1or time each day to the rays of the sun. which,
IN summer, produced favorable conditions for
malariai diseases The Washington and George
navigation required and dredging was frequently
necessary for the relief OF commerce During the
appropriated for dredging these channels and re-
moving rocks In Georgetown harbor, most Of
whlch was expended In trying to maintain q mar
row channel or 10 feet at low tide
THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE WORK
Is as follows: The Washington channel has q
depth OF 20 feet at low tide along the city front up
10 the Long Bridge the width for the greater part
being $50 feet. The Virginia channel above the
Long Bridge has depth OF 10 feet or more at low
below Long Bridge has depth Of 20 feet or more.
and width Of 400 feet. In the cnannei above the
20 e baK a r. Where s, the depth has been
Ing, opposite the sewer canal, due to the spring
freshets. Nearly the entire portion Of the fats
mean height Of about 6 feet above low tide No
work was done on this section during the past
year on account OF the restrictions contained In
tae last river and haroor act On that portion be-
tween the sewer canal and the Long Bridge work
was continued, and the condition Is as follows:
An embankment has been raised along the bank
. q m a hO1l fnr
the purpose OF combining the dredged material to
De deposited near 1T. An embanEment has also
along the greater part Of the margin Of the tidal
reservoir, thus defining the limits Of each. The
small tidal reservoir has been excavated TO depth
to height Of from IL to IA feet. The most im-
portant work On this section, however, Is the
structlon OF
THE RESERVOIR OUTLET.
Owing to the treacherous nature of the bottom
at the site OF the outlet considerable difficulty has
been experienced in excavating within the Golfer
dam which was constructed. The latter had to be
strengthened considerably to insure the safe
now In progress 1t is the intention to connect the
dam with the adjacent walls Of the reservoir, and
thus close the Washington channel above Long
Bridge as soon as practicable, in order to prevent
freshet water from passing down the river by this
route. 1t was necessary TO use considerable rip
rap stone In connection with the formation OF
emDankment along the margin Of the tidal reser-
volr and the outer margin of the flats.
During the past year the work OF excavattng in
the virginia channel and depOsiting the material
on section was continued under contract with
Benson & McNee. The eXcavated material has
been deposited on that part OF the flats just above
the Old causeway OF Long Bridge About 1000
cubic yards were excavaUed and deposited at a
cost OF 15.4o cents per cubic yard. The same con-
tractors were awarded the contract for excavating
600 yards OF material from the reservoir, and
the work is now In progress.
On section the formation OF an embankment
along the margin OF the flats all the way to Its
extreme SOutherly limit Is still In progress by
Henry Wilson.
THE WORK DONE.
During the year there has been excavated and
deposited the fats 1OS1 567 cubic yards OF ma
terial, making total OF 1914, ,O54 cubic yards so
deposited since the improvement began There
has been about 461 acres OF marsh reclaimed from
overflow, which has resulted In great benent to
the sanitary condition OF some parts OF the city.
The channels or the river have been improved and
vessels OF 20-fOOt draught can now reach either
Georgetown or Washington.
COST OF THE WORK.
The report says:sThe total amount expended in
the work during the past year is s244 OF; total
amount expended up to date, $685., ,S4l.O1. The
financial sfdeenHe4t shows balance OF $3.50 36l 80
available. Practically this Is q very small sum.
Nearly all the money shown as available is needed
contracts. It is desirable that reasonably large
sum be appropriated for the work this year. The
work has reached that stage OF progress when o
5000 900 could be prohtably expended In the lnan-
cial year ending June 80. 1885,
THE SEWER CANAL
''The necessity OF Congressional action rela-
tive to the sewer canal, at the foot of 18th
street, becomes more and more 1mpera-
tive each year. 1t will be remembered that
one OF the largest sewers in the city dis.
charges at this point. Formerly it discharged
the sewage on the fats, but WITHIN a few years
canal has been cut across the Hats its banks have
from time to time been raised, and Jhe hats on
each side are now being filed in. The sewage
tS onn1 ic rlr
year The canal Is not proper receptacle for 1t,
as there is no current in 1t except that produced
the sewer itself. AS a consequence, the head OF
this canal, and sometimes Its entire length (about
$500 leet, is covered by sickening mass Of
pleasant: single visit at such times viii
s@lnee saeot 70 onsss,n give one fair idea Of its
tSa she sewer Is snoS III
out over the hats and into the river This
conceive to be Objectionable. 1t would not re-
hide it from view. The gases that now emanate
from this mass OF corruption would be retained
In the sewers, to be distributed through ventila-
most sSutGo n5o
OF the problem would seem to be to close the
present end Of the sewer and establish large
steam pump there to pump the sewage out into
the river, or as far away as may seem necessary
the closure OF the sewer to be made by gates to
rainfall thewaters Of Wnick would be GschaGeedE in.
to the canal. The latter under such circumstances
WOulu only receive ra1n-Wat6r contaminated bV
sewage. This was substantially the plan recon-
mended by Capt. +. v. Greene Corps OF Engineers,
U. 3. A., While assistant to the Engineer Commits.
sioner OF the District. II some such plan should
be carried out by the District authorities it would
appear to be but proper and right for the Govern
menC to take care OF the canal ITSELF build retain.
ing walls TO its sides, and establish flushing
Su1ces from the small reservoir near its head
An estimate was submitted for concrete retaining
walls IN December, lS8. Their cost will be
about $2OS. IA, and an appropriation OF $1OO 600
Is recommended to begin the work OF their con-
structiOn."
NECESSITY OF REBUILDING THE LONG BRIDGE.
Col Hams again calls the attention Of Congress
to the necessity Of action In regard to the Long
Bridge. The plan recommended by the board
Of engineers for the Improvement Of the river
front contemplates the rebuilding OF the Long
Bridge at an early period during the progress Ot
the improvement, with Wide spans, upon piers
anQrdip& the least possible Qb{trQetton to the
dow OF water "No plan Of Improvement can be
MADE satisfactory while the bridge remains as It
is-a serious obstruction TO the n0y Of water be-
channel above and below this bridge has had to
be stopped some distance from It for fear Of In.
1ur1nH the foundations OF the piers. The bridge
ought to be rebuilt without unnecessary delay"
In this connection Col. Hams submits the report
made by him January IL, 1887, In response to q
letter from the Senate committee on commerce
requesting information as taDVhat legislation by
Congress1s necessary to provide means for keeping
open the navigation Of the Potomac when obstfuct
at the osposal OF the proper authorities good
ce-boat to break the Ice Is tar down stream Is It
| freezes; second, to reconstruct the Long Bridge
on 1eWor piers set In the axis OF tho fr6Shet cur.